Thoughts on the Closing

As many if not all of you know by now, our dearly beloved Ben has announced that AP will be closing its doors come this October.

So many people here seem to be resigned to this, and I suppose I can understand why. But for myself, I'm simply reeling in disbelief! How can we leave this behind? How can I lose contact with all the people I've met here and the wonderful stories I've connected with? It's just not right!

I feel like a family member--or at least a beloved pet--has just died. I can't seem to wrap my mind around the fact that this place will soon be no more. I know it makes me seem childish and maybe a bit obsessive, but I honestly need this place. We all wrote a month or so back about how much we appreciated Ben, and how much AP means to us. Are we willing to simply let that go down the drain?

Friends...I don't even know what to say. I've lost friends from forums that died (some of you know what I'm talking about), friends in real life who moved on...But I always thought I'd have this place. I was so excited when I got to college and realized--Hey! AP is for homeschoolers and HOMESCHOOL GRADUATES! That's me!!

I can't stand to see this place die. Please, Ben, if you're reading this, help us find a way to keep it alive--even if only in zombie fashion (again, some of you know exactly what I mean by that.) Let some of us take it over. Find yourself an apprentice to carry on the tradition of Apricot Pie!

I'm sorry for sounding desperate...it's late at night, and maybe I'm being too melodramatic about this whole thing. But I can't stand to see the home of so many memories and discussions die. Will you join with me in doing whatever is needed to save it?

Please?

I love you all,

~LoriAnn

PS: will everyone who has a Facebook account please email me or contact me on my blog so we can connect that way, just in case?

Comments

I'm the only one who's read this? Hey, guys, get over here! LoriAnn, I couldn't agree more. you're right on the money. F.Y.I. my cat just died but this is far worse! I think Ben should let some of us take this over. I'm sure I speek for all AP members when I say that just ending aprocotpie is reckless suicied.

"It's been three months since you left us/so far nothing been the same/and my question with our answer/is am I the one to blame? -- Zero by Hawk Nelson

I have to say, I don't think having some of us run the site is a bad idea at all. We could at least discuss it with Ben... But I think the main problem is that not many of us really know how to work a website, though plenty of us would be able to moderate posts and new members.

I am in total agreement with you. Maybe (if Ben would be okay with this) the People of Apricotpie could help moderate posts and such. I mean, if all the Monthlies did it, then we would be covered! Or if the format could be changed just a touch so that the moderation of every single post--that's a LOT for one person to do!!!-- isn't necessary--for example, there is instead a complaint button if something is offensive.

The problem with the whole idea of us users taking over and helping moderate the site isn't just the obvious that the majority of us don't know how to run it, though. The web hosting for Apricotpie isn't free, for one thing. And I'm sure that Ben has put a lot of thought into the closing of AP, it isn't something he would have done unless he really had to. I want AP to stay up as much as anyone, but if that's not a possibility I think we should consider somewhere else to put up our writings and keep us all together. I don't know, I'm just putting this out here. The idea of Apricotpie closing down has had me trying to come up with some kind of solution, and this is the only one that has seemed like it could work. I have a site in mind that we could move to, but I don't know if anyone would be willing. It would be really different, but we could at least still stay in touch with each other and our writings. Again, I'm just putting this out here, seeing if anyone could be interested, because I would be willing to elaborate if anyone is.

Don't be sorry, especially not right now. I don't exactly know what you mean, and obviously it isn't my decision alone, and probably not mine at all, but maybe if you "elaborated" it would help. And you could put up a link to whatever site you were thinking of.

I'm all for the site being run by a group of APers...I suppose it'd be the monthlies. I probably wouldn't be able to commit much time to it, but I'm ready and willing to help with anything that can be done to keep AP. :)

I would have posted earlier, but I received the news right before I left for a retreat up in the woods at my grandparents' cabin, and had no time to respond until now. The whole retreat, my mind was distracted as to the fate of Apricotpie.

This is my statement. I do not know how to make websites; I've had some experience using html and css to customize the look of my blog, but beyond that nothing really. Yet, I will step up and do whatever I can -- I'll learn how to do new things if I have to. If there is any possiblity to save Apricotpie, I'll help however I can. And if there is not, I'll do whatever I can to help start a new website and keep the Apricotpie community together.